One Choice
by tessnotbess
Summary: A totally different version of the first Jolie ILY. When Natalie is held hostage at gun point, John has one choice to make. Will it be her, or will he choose his father's case? When all is said and done, maybe he'll realize there was only ever one choice for him.


Disclaimer: Based on how much debt I'm forever in, I will never own anything, let alone these wonderful characters.

A/N: This takes place in the summer of 2006, my favorite Jolie time, and takes place and the Hospital Gala. If you've never seen these episodes, they're great, and I highly suggest watching them, if for no other reason than to see the John/Natalie exchange while sort of breaking into a bank. This idea flew out of my brain and onto the pages, and actually finished quite quickly compared to my last story. I hope you enjoy reading it, and please review! My brain is a feedback whore, and it needs its fix lol. Anway, enjoy!

"So Blair's going to head to the bathroom and-

"She'll give me the key to his safe deposit box" Natalie finished for him, "John, we've been over this, okay? It's going to work"

He sighed, "I'm sorry I'm being annoying. I just- I have this feeling something's going to go wrong"

"Don't think like that" she said, "Besides, we're supposed to be on a date. I don't make you that stressed out, do I?" she teased.

"Quite the opposite, actually" he said, "I don't think I told you, you look real pretty tonight" he said, and was rewarded with her dazzling smile. He put a hand on her hip, getting closer to her, "Thanks for coming with me tonight"

Gently, he leaned down to kiss her. She was amazing. Sometimes he wondered if he'd survive this thing without the knowledge that she'd be waiting for him when he came home. She'd quickly become his rock, the one person he could depend on to not hate him because of how he was acting. On some he level he knew that this wild goose chase might be crazy, but he had this feeling that on the other side of it all, he'd be a better person. He'd be ready to have a life outside of his cases. And he could really show Natalie what she meant to him; show her that he was serious about them together, in a way he hadn't been with anyone else in a very long time.

He heard a throat clear, and he drew back from Natalie. Maybe kissing her in public, at least on the lips, was a mistake on his part. It made him forget himself, he could get lost in her, and he couldn't afford that right now.

"Get a room" Spencer scoffed at them, toting Blair on his arm.

They walked by them, seemingly insulted by their presence, and it angered John to no end. He took a step to confront him; the only thing that stopped him was Natalie's hand on his shoulder.

"He'll get what's coming to him" she said.

"I just wish I knew what he got out of his safe deposit box" John said, "now Blair doesn't have the key"

"She'll figure it out" Natalie said.

Before anyone could figure it out, Spencer was at the podium for his speech, which he opened by proposing to Blair. John and Natalie shared a look of confusion before watching the train wreck ensue. Blair was obviously confused, but as the conversation went on, he explained that he needed to get the ring, and that's why they had stopped at the bank.

"The ring" Natalie said, "that's what was in deposit box. He didn't take the gun"

"Its a moot point anyway; we can't get a warrant without probable cause. I just want to know"

Natalie nodded, "You think Todd's going to hold up all night?"

"I'd say he's plastered by ten"

"Speak of the devil"

"No, not now" John lamented, but sure enough Todd came right up to them.

"So McBain, what are you doing to get that asshole behind bars?"

"Manning, you of all people should know I can't discuss any ongoing cases"

"Natalie, what's the answer"

"I'm not a cop"

"No, but you're dating one"

"You're not going to get the answer you want, Todd. What you should be doing instead is fighting for Blair, since we all know that's what you're really upset about"

"Mike's here" John said, putting a hand on the small of Natalie's back to steer her towards his brother.

"Nice save" Natalie said,

"What can I say, being around you, I've learned great diversion techniques" he joked as they made their way to Michael.

"I guess having a dysfunctional family pays off that way"

"Hey John, Natalie" Michael said, "I didn't expect you guys to be here"

"My whole family got invited; I guilted John to coming with me" Natalie explained.

"And you got him to dress up" Michael commented.

"I have good bargaining skills" she answered.

"I am standing right here" John said, "Where's Marcie?"

"Staying in with Tommy. I was planning on it, too, but she insisted I come, in case any important people from work were here"

"I like a career oriented woman" Natalie said.

"Speaking of, how're your classes going?"

"Good. I didn't do so hot on the practice test, but I've been studying more and John's been helping me a lot, too"

"Oh, Johnny, playing nice with others?" Michael teased.

"Very funny" he said, "It just so happens she doesn't need my help, she's very smart and Bo would be stupid to let someone else give her an offer"

Natalie looked, down smiling. She knew he was proud of her, but every time he said something like that, it meant the world to her.

"Well, I don't know about that, but, I've been doing pretty good" she said, "How's the baby doing?"

"He's getting on pretty good. Getting bigger everyday"

"That's so great"

"Hows a secret"

"Then why would I have to say it?" John retorted.

"Because there might come a day when you regret you didn't"

"Don't say that" John said, more as a reaction to the feeling gnawing at his gut than anything else.

"You might not want to think about it, John, but you almost lost her once. You know she won't wait forever for you to come to terms with your feelings"

But he didn't need forever. He only needed this case to be over.

"No, I don't want to think about it, so stop" he snapped at his brother.

"Guess its too dangerous-"

"Blair, where are the stairs that lead to the roof?"

"Next to the bathroom" she said quietly.

John was halfway to the staircase before Blair even realized what was going on. She started to follow, and then thought better of it.

John ran up the stairs faster than he knew he could. He found the door left open, a sure sign they were up here. When he made his way out the door and turned around, what he saw didn't entirely surprise him, but that didn't stop his stomach from clenching or his heart from going into overdrive. Spencer held Natalie against him, as if she were a human shield, one arm across her waist and the other crossing her torso. She looked okay, she was actually squirming, trying to get free of his hold. The only good thing was that Spencer was unarmed, and John had a leg up on that.

"Are you okay?" he managed to ask Natalie before he dealt with the situation.

"I'm fine. Leave" she said, "If you're not here to bargain with him, I'm worthless"

"Let her go, Truman. Your beef's with me, not her"

"Figured this would get your attention" he retorted.

"Get your hands off of her" John demanded.

"Then I lose my biggest bargaining chip"

"Truman, if you hurt her-"

"You wouldn't risk the case" Spencer taunted him, "You've worked too hard, risked yourself and everyone around you to make gains. Natalie here would just be collateral damage"

He made eye contact with Natalie. She was scared, he could tell, but she wasn't about to show that to her captor. She was so strong, and her faith in him wasn't shaken in the least. Yeah, if she got hurt, there'd be collateral damage, but she'd survive. Whether or not he would was a different story. He gave Natalie a slight nod, then pulled out his gun, aiming it right at Spencer. He knew his chance at a clear shot was slim, but if he showed his hand, maybe his odds were better.

"Truman, I'm not going to tell you again. Let her go"

"John, no. Leave right now" Natalie said.

"You think you have all the cards, don't you, Lieutenant?"

"From where I'm standing, you don't have a leg to stand on"

"Or do I?" Spencer taunted, kissing Natalie's bare shoulder.

John felt his temper flare, and Natalie jerking away from his touch didn't help him any.

"Don't try me, Truman" John said through clenched teeth.

"Let me get this whole thing straight" he said, "You silently investigate me for months over a twenty year old cold case that was in no way tied to me"

"I wouldn't say that" John said, "You and I both know the evidence was there, you just hid it"

"If that's true, why would you think I'd still have the gun in my safe deposit box?"

"That a confession?"

"Take it for what you want" Spencer said, "Call me crazy, I don't want you going through my safe deposit box. And I don't recall being notified of a warrant to have it searched anyway"

"If you wanted the key back, you would have just taken it" John said.

"Nothing gets by you John" he said, "I'm intrigued"

"I want your hands off of Natalie, what is there to be intrigued about?"

"You haven't shot yet"

"Don't try me"

"What if the scores were evened up a bit?"

John's heart dropped. What did he mean by that? He didn't have much time to think as Spencer pulled a gun out and held it pointed at Natalie.

"John listen to me" Natalie said as he and Spencer continued their stare down, "He won't hurt me, its about you and only you getting to the bottom of the case, the rest of us be damned" she screamed, "Bo's almost lost his job, Michael's reliving losing your dad all over again, and I have to watch you throw your life away day in and day out every day" she was practically screaming.

"This has nothing to do with the case" he said, also losing his mind.

"Then why, John?"

"Damn it, because I love you" he yelled back at her.

He didn't realize what he'd just said until he saw the look on her face. She actually took half a step back, mouth agape in disbelief. She had every right to not believe him, after all, what proof did he have that it was true? He certainly didn't act like it, especially lately. Natalie's eyes started shimmering with tears and he felt his heart tear a little for her. She'd put up with a lot because of him. If she was going to hear that, it shouldn't have come out like that. Not while he was yelling at her, and not while they were fighting.

He looked down, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

Before he got the chance to finish his apology, Natalie had crossed the room and brought his lips onto hers, kissing him fully and deeply. He put his hands on her hips out of instinct, making him forget for a fleeting moment all his problems like only she could.

When they came apart to breathe, she didn't move away at all. She searched his eyes for a moment before speaking.

"Did you mean it?"

Just like Natalie, to give him an out over something so important. She had already found her answer, and she wasn't yelling, she wasn't backing away, and he could see the happiness waiting in the corner of her eyes. She already knew, and if he backed out, that wouldn't change. He thought about what Mike had told him earlier that night, what if the worst had happened tonight, and what if she never knew how he felt or that he couldn't imagine his life without her in it that she made him sane, that she was the one person he could count on. He had finally made a decision his dad would be proud of, he might as well reinforce it.

"Yeah" he said, "I mean it"

She went to kiss him again, and he felt his heart swell. Something felt so right about this moment, and he wasn't sure he'd ever felt so sure that this was the right thing to do. She pulled back and smiled up at him, and any regret he could have had was gone. Her smile could always do that to him, make feel like an actual person instead of the robot he sometimes thought he was. She was the only one who could get him to feel something other than empty, and he counted his blessings that she hadn't left him yet, because he'd never survive feeling like that all the time.

"Then why the hell are you apologizing? And don't you dare take it back"

"I wanted to apologize because I shouldn't have said it like that, like I was angry at you and while we were fighting. You're right, you've suffered through a lot because of me, and it shouldn't have come out like that"

"But you said it. And now I can never doubt it again. I'll always know" she said, "I mean I always knew, but-"

"I've given you enough reasons to doubt it" he said.

"But I still don't get why"

"I'm afraid to lose you"

"You would've found me. I know you would have"

"Natalie, when I said I would have tabled it all to look for you, I meant it. The only thing that would matter would be finding you, everything else, it wouldn't matter"

"But the case-"

"It wouldn't matter" he said, "The thought of losing you scares me far too much to risk it. If he hurt you and I didn't stop it, I wouldn't be able to live with myself"

"Last summer the odds were worse"

"You didn't see me. And it would be worse now, now that I-" he trailed off.

"Now that you what?"

"Now that I know what its a price I'm willing to pay" he said, kissing the top of her head, "besides, I like it when you spend the night"

"Me too" she said, "I'm glad you told me"

"I don't believe everything that happened tonight"

"Yeah, itve listened to people tell me for twenty five years that my dad just wants me to be happy. For the first time, I actually did something to prove to him I could be happy" he said, kissing her head.

"We should get some sleep" she said.

"Yeah, tomorrow's not looking too promising"

"It'll all be okay" she said, "I love you"

"You too" he murmured into her hair as he kissed her forehead.

Together, they drifted off to sleep, happier than they had ever been. John felt a sort of peace he wasn't sure he'd ever felt before, and he knew it was because of the woman in his arms, and that she finally knew what she meant to him.


End file.
